crocker



Patented lan. 3, |899. S.

DRUCKER. HEAD CANUPY.. (Applcation'led Sept. 80, 1897.)

2- Sheets-Sheet 2 WH zsszs Tw: uonms PETERS co, HoTo-Lmln., wAsHlNumN.n4 c.

l is a central vertical section of the same.

NiTnD STATES einen,

PATENT H EAD-CANOPY.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,903, datedJanuary 3, 1899.

Application filed September 30, 1897. Serial No. 653,588. (No model.)

To LZZ 'tv/wm. t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL CROCKER, a citi'- zen of the UnitedStates,residing at Oklahoma, in the county of Oklahoma and Territory ofOklahoma, have invented a new and useful Head-Canopy, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to head `canopies or coverings designed as aprotection from sun, rain, wind, dre., and adapted to be worn by abicycle-rider or equestrian or others exposed to sun and storms, such aslaborers in harvest-fields, dac.

The object in view is to provide a canopy adapted to be used either withor instead of head-apparel of the ordinary construction, such as a hator cap, and by persons of either sex, the parts of the apparatus beingadjustable to vary the positions thereof to afford a maximum protectionunder the conditions of use.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forattaching the same to the wearer so as to leave the hands and arms freeto perform any desired functions.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. y

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a canopy constructedin accordance with my invention shown applied. Fig. 2 Fig. 3 is aninverted plan View of the canopy-top. Fig. 4. is a detail view inperspective of the means whereby the canopy-top is mounted foradjustment and is secured in the desired position. Fig. 5 is a detailview, partly in section, to show the means whereby the vertical positionof the canopy-top may be varied.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

The canopy-top l, which consists, essentially, of a frame, hereinafterfully described, and a flexible cover of fabric or the equivalentthereof, (adapted to be varied to suit the particular purpose for whichthe device is designed,) is upheld by means of a supportingframe oflooped construction, consisting of side standards 2 and a connectingcross-piece 3, the cross-piece being preferably integral with thestandards and being arranged in front of the plane of the standards bydeliecting the latter forwardly contiguous to their upper ends, as shownat 2. These standards are of extensible construction and includestationary members 2b, rising from shoulder-plates fl, adapted to restupon the shoulders of the wearer, and adjustable members 2C, which aremounted to slide upon the fixed members, as by means of eyes 5 at theupper ends of the stationary members through which the movable membersextend. Various means may be employed to suit the connection between thefixed and movable members of thevstandards for securing said members inthe desired relative positions, or, in other words, to lock thestandards at the desired extension; but in the construction illustrateda slide 6 is attached to the lower extremity of each adjustable member2c and is provided with a guide-opening 7, fitted to slide upon thefixed member 2b, a set-screw 8, threaded in a suitable socket in saidguideblock, being adapted to impinge terminally against the fixed memberof the standard to lock the parts in place, this set-screw being withineasy reach of the wearer of the canopy.

In this connection as an additional means` of bracing the standardsagainst forward and rearward vibration I employ brace-arms 9, risingfrom said shoulder-plates and provided at their upper extremities with aloop lO, through which the members of the standards extend, said loopsbeing preferably constructed integrally with the arms 9 and forming ameans whereby guy-cords l1, which extend from diametrically oppositeside edges of the canopy-top, may be hitched to enable the wearer tovary the depression of the said side edges of the canopy-top and preventvertical vibration thereof when the device is exposed to a storm or astrong wind or when riding or walking rapidly. Y These attachingloops l0are also arranged within convenient reach of the wearer, whereby thedepression of the side edges-0f the canopy-top may be Varied by thewearer without previously removing the apparatus.

The loops or eyes lOloosely encircle the uprights or standards, andhence the braces are free to vibrate, whereby when the guy-cords ICO 11are strained to depress or deiieet downwardly the lateral edges of thecanopy-top the braces allow a certain iiexihility of the connection anda slight vibration of the side edges of the canopy top when aifected bywind or the jarring of the top, as when the wearer of the apparatus isin rapid motion, to prevent straining and disarran ging the parts. Inother words, while the lateral edges of the canopytop are depressed todraw the side portions thereof closer to the head of the wearer saidedges are free to yield slightly in order to relieve strains, andthereby reduce the risk of injury.

As above indicated, the canopy embodying my invention is adapted to beWorn either with or without head-apparel of the ordinary construction,the preference being in favor of its use without the ordinaryhead-apparel, for the reason that it is adapted to take the place of ahat or cap, and though amply protecting the head and face of the wearerit allows a free circulation of air about the head,and thus conduces toa hygienic condition, to which an unventilated hat or cap isantagonistic. It is desirable, however, in order to maintain thecanopy-top centrally over the head of the wearer and effectually guardagainst excessive vibration to provide some means of connection betweenthe supporting-frame and the head, and I accomplish this object byproviding a head-band 12, connected at opposite points to the adjustablemembers 2 of the standards and adapted to extend around the head,crossing the brow of the wearer, or to extend around the cap or hatwhich may be worn on the head. Said band to adapt it for adjustment isprovided with a buckle 13 or its equivalent. This band is preferablymounted to slide upon the adjustable members 2C of the standards, and inorder that it may be secured at the desired adjustment to prevent thesame from slipping down over the eyes of the wearer I employfastening-cords 14, connected to eyes 15 respectively, in front and inrear of the point of connection of the canopy-top with thesupportingframe and engaged with eyes 16 at front and rear points of thehead-band.

Various means may be devised for securing the lower end of thesupporting-frame upon the shoulders of the wearer, but that constructionwhich I have found to be efficient and to be desirable by reason ofleaving the arms of the wearer wholly unconfined embodies shoulder loopsor straps 17, to which the shoulder-plates 4 are attached,and a breastband or strap 18, )rovided with a suitable adjusting device, such as abuckle 19. This breast band or strap extends around the body of thewearer close to the armpits and passes through loops or keepers 20 onthe shoulderstraps. For ordinary purposes a harness constructed of thebreast band or strap and the shoulder-straps is sufiicient to maintainthe canopy in position; but Where the canopy is subjected to excessivestrain and where the position or movements of the wearer requireadditional means of attachment I employ shoulder-strap extensions21,`connected by buckles 22 or their equivalents to the lower ends ofthe shoulder-straps and terminating at their lower ends in `eyes orkeepers 23, through which passes a belt or waist-strap 24, also havingan adjusting device, such as a buckle 25. It is obvious that by reasonof the buckles 22 the extensions 21 are detachable from theshoulder-straps 17 when the lower portion of the harness is notrequired, and at the same time the adjusting devices 22 provide forvarying the interval between the planes of the breast and waist strapsto suit the height and convenience of the wearer.

The frame of the canopy-top consists of a cross-sectionally flatcrown-piece or stiifener 2G of a shape preferred for the longitudinalcontour of the canopy-top and a plurality of concentric ribs 27, whichintersect the crownpiece which constitutes the main rib or stiffener atdiametrically opposite points, the extremities of the outermost andintermediate concentric ribs being attached to the crownpiece, while theinnermost rib is carried beyond the crown-piece and its extremities arcattached to intermediate points of the adjacent intermediate rib, asshown at 2S. The crown-piece preferably consists, as indicated in Fig.4, of a sheet-metal strip folded upon its longitudinal center to form abead which incloses a stiffening-wire 29. Also the frame of thecanopy-top preferably includes transverse stiifeners 30, extending fromopposite points on the side edges of the top and intersecting thecrown-piece, as indicated clearly in Fig. 3. The attachment of theguy-cords 11 to the edges of the canopy-top is made between thecontiguous extremities of the stiffeners 30, and while the stiffenersresist downward deflection of the side edges of the top they permit saidadjustment when the guycords are strained, as hereinbefore described.Obviously when the guy-cords are relieved of strain the stiifeners 30,by reason of being of spring metal, as steel wire, return the canopytopto its original shape.

It is desirable in practice to provide for forwardly and rearwardlytilting the canopy in order to protect the wearer against stormsapproaching either in front or in rear and also to enable the top to befolded back out of the way when not required, and hence the frame of thecanopy-top is fulcrumed upon the supporting-frame by means of brackets3]., provided at their upper ends with eyes 32, alined with perforationsin ears 33, depending from the crown-piece 26, a removable fulcrum-pin34 engaging the alined eyesthus formed and being adapted to be displacedto provide for interchanging canopy-tops. For instance, each canopyconstructed in accordance with my invention may be provided with aplurality of interchangeable tops built for different purposes andhaving flexible covers 35 of different materials-such as silk, cambric,

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canvas, &c. vIn practice I prefer to conceal the inner side of thecanopy-top frame by means of a lining 36. (Indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.)

A simple form of locking device for securing the canopy-top in thedesired position with relation to the supporting-frame is illustrated inthe drawings and in detail in 4, the same consisting of a rack-bar 37,pivoted by means of a pin 3S upon the crownpiece in rear of thefulcrum-pina, extending between the brackets 3l, and provided withnotches 39 to engage a fixed stop, such as an intermediate portion ofthe cross-bar 3, said rack-bar or arm being yieldingly held in operativerelation with said fixed stop by means of an actuating-springiO. Vhen itis desired to change the angular adjustment of the canopy-top, it may bedone by the wearer by simply raising the free front end ot the rack-bar37 to disengage it from the fixed stop and moving the top tothepreferred position. The subsequent release of the rack-bar willcause itsimmediate engagement with -the stop to maintain the top as adjusted.

From the above description it will be seen that the construction of thedevice embodying my invention is simple, that the parts thereof areadapted for adjustment with facility to occupy the desired positions,and thaty the manner of supporting the top not only adapts it to resiststrains applied by wind or storm,.but to be worn without inconvenienceto other riders or pedestrians where a number of persons equipped withthe device are congregated. The opposite side standards serve toeffectually support the canopy-top against lateral displacement, whilethe connection of said standards with-the head-band holds the topagainst forward and rearward displacement and maintains it properly overthe head of the wearer without interfering with the limitedforward-and-rearward movement of the head. Obviously the standards andthe braces provided therefor are constructed of yielding rods or wiresto adapt them to allow said movement of the head of the wearer,while atthe same time the weight of the apparatus is carried wholly by theshoulders of the wearer.

In the drawings I have shown the fixed member 2b of the extensiblestandards termi-l nally threaded in the shoulder-plates eL, (see detailView Fig. 5;) but it will be understood that the specific constructionof the connection forms no part of my invention and may be varied toform any suitable attachment adapting the standards to perform thefunctions speciied.

The advantage derived from the abovespecified arrangement of theset-screws 8 on the guide-block 6 to clamp said guide-blocks and themovable members of the standard at the desired adjustment with relationto the fixed or stationary members resides in the fact that theset-screws may be grasped and loosened, respectively, by the right andleft CHO han ds of the wearer of the canopy, the blocks pushed to thedesired height, and the setscrews again tightened. In other words, theconstruction described provides for the adj ustment vertically of thecanopy while the device is in its ,operative position upon the wearer,such adjustment being accomplished in one movement, and the set-screwspreferably being arranged at the inner sides of the guide-blocks, wherethey are within reach of the fingers of the operators hands whilegrasping the guide-blocks to change the Vertical position of theadjustable standard members.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing-any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is.-

l. A canopy having extensible side standards consisting of fixedmembers, provided at their upper ends with guides and at their lowerends with means for holding them upon the shoulders of the wearer,adjustable members extending through said guides and provided at theirlower ends with guide-blocks forming grips having guide-openings mountedto slide upon said fixed members, and setscrews mounted upon theguide-blocks forv engagement with the fixed members of the standards tosecure the adj ustableinembers in the desired positions, said set-screwsbeing adapted to be operated by the fingers of the hands which grasp theguide-blocks, substantially as specified.

2. A canopy having side standards, shoulder-plates to which the lowerextremities of said standards are attached, means for holding theshoulder-plates in position upon the shoulders of the wearer, and frontand rear braces before the standards rising from the shoulder-plates.and carrying loops through which the standards extend, substantially asspecified.

A canopy having flexible standards, means for supporting the lower endsof said standards in operative position upon the body of a wearer, and ahead-band connected with the said standards and adapted to encircle thehead of the wearer to 'communicate movementsof the head to thestandards, substantially as specified.

4. A canopy havin g flexible side standards, means for supporting saidstandards in operative position, a head-band mounted for verticaladjustment upon the standards and adapted to encircle the head of awearer, and means for maintaining said head-band at the desired adjustment,substantially as specified.

5. A canopy having side standards, means for supporting the standards, avertically-adjustable head-band mounted upon the stand-.

ards and adapted to encircle the head of the wearer, and exiblefastening-cords adjust- IIO ably connected with the head-band to supportitat the desired vertical adjustment, substantially as specified.

6. A canopy having a ilexible top, provided with side standards, meansfor supporting the lower ends of the standards, laterally-yieldingbraces arranged respectively contiguous to the standards and providedwith eyes loosely encircling the standards, and guycords attached to theside edges of the canopytop at opposite points and adjustably connectedwith said eyes whereby said side ed ges may be depressed, substantiallyas specied.

7. A canopy having a supporting-frame including side standards connectedat their npper ends bya cross-piece, brackets rising from saidcross-piece at opposite sides of its center and fixed thereto, acanopy-top having a frame pivotally mounted upon said brackets, forforward and rearward tilting movement, a rack-bar pivotally mounted uponthe canopytop frame, extending between said spaced brackets, andprovided with seats for engagement with the center of the saidcross-piece of the su pportin g-frame, and means for yieldingly holdingthe rack-bar with one of its seats in engagement with -said cross-piece,substantially as specified.

8. A canopy-top provided with supporting devices, and having a frameincluding a rigid longitudinal crown-piece, a plurality of continuousconcentric pliable ribs intersecting said crown-piece at diametricallyopposite points and secured thereto, whereby the side edges of thecanopy-top are adapted to yield downwardly, and means, connected withsaid side edges, for securing the same at the desired downwarddeflection, substantially as specified.

D. A canopy-top provided with supporting devices and having a frameincluding a 1ongitudinal crown-piece, concentricv ribs attached atdiametrically opposite points to the crown-piece, and transverse pliablestiifenin g-ribs connecting opposite points on the side edges of thecanopy-top,substantially as specified.

10. A canopy-top provided with supporting devices, and having a frameincluding a rigid longitudinal crown-piece, continuous pliable ribsarranged concentrically and each secured at diam etrically oppositepoints to said crownpiece, and transverse pliable ribs connected attheir centers with the crown-piece and terminally to theoutermostconcentric rib at the opposite side edges of the canopy-top,and also intersecting the intermediate concentric ribs, in combinationwith means, connected to the canopy-top adjacent to the terminals ofsaid pliable ribs, for downwardly deflectin g the side edges of thecanopy-top, substantially as specified.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL CROCKER.

Titnessesz J oHN FORDEN, W. H. MILLER.

